This invention relates to splint forming machines, and more particularly, to an apparatus which produces a flexible dental retaining splint of wire wound sections interconnected by eyelet sections.
A flexible dental retaining splint has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,563, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The patented splint described is one which is disposable in a channel extending between adjacent teeth. The patented splint is formed of a wire core with a wire coil being wound about the core with the turns of the coil being in close juxtaposition to each other. Wire loops, or eyelets, are formed at both ends of the wound core. Typically, the patented splint is formed of several such sections of wire core, each of which is wire wrapped by a coil wire, and the eyelets serve as interconnections between the adjacent sections. Continuous strands of wire are utilized to form both the wire core sections, the wrapping wire, and the eyelets.
The patented splint can be bent along its longitudinal length into selected configurations, so as to fit into the channels formed in the teeth. The eyelets are transverse to the longitudinal sections and define apertures in the splint for receiving anchors that secure the splint in the channel.
The patented splint is provided as a continuous elongated unit having a plurality of individual sections. The elongated unit can be cut in order to fit the particular channel. The patented splint can then be bent so as to permit positioning of the splint for ideal pin placement into the dentin of the teeth. Once installed, suitable cement can be utilized to fill the channel, and then restorative material can be applied which can be contoured and polished to complete the restoration.
Although the wire splint described has been found to be exceedingly useful, formation of the splint requires a number of difficult procedures including bending of the wires wrapping the wires, and other similar operations, all of which must be accomplished using very thin wires. Typically, the wire is about 100 mm. stainless steel flexible wire strands. A complete splint may include a few sections of cores and eyelets and may extend up to approximately 4 inches. There is thus a need for a suitable method and apparatus for forming a flexible dental retaining splint of the aforementioned type described.